BULLETIN BOARD; New Collegians Faced Selective Process

New York City continues to be a magnet for college students. Columbia University, Barnard College and New York University say their entering freshmen represent their most selective classes in history.

Columbia admitted only 12.3 percent of 14,094 applicants to its college, and 26 percent of 2,465 applicants to its engineering school. Last year the college admitted 13 percent of applicants, and the engineering school 27 percent. Of the students admitted this year, 52 percent are women, and more than a third identified themselves as minorities.

N.Y.U. admitted 28 percent of approximately 31,000 applicants this year, down from 30 percent last year. Of the 8,500 entering freshmen, 37 percent are minorities, including 6.5 percent black, 9 percent Hispanic and 20 percent Asian-American.

Barnard College accepted 33 percent of its 4,075 applicants, down from 37 percent a year ago. Of the 541 entering women, 7 percent are black and 8 percent are Hispanic. Karen W. Arenson